[LAU] more than 4 channels for listening? Really?

[Ken Restivo]

On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 10:10:29PM +0100, fons at kokkinizita.net wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 25, y2010 at 11:27:11AM -0700, Bearcat M. Sandor wrote:
> 
> > Couldn't one create the sound of a fly moving through out a room simply
> > by adjusting the balance of 4 speakers?
> 
> One could, sort of.
>  
> > If so why do we need more than 4 speakers?
> 
> Because you have much better results that way,
> using the right techniques.  
>  
> > I have an audio system for which i'd like to set up 4 channels. I have 2
> > Anthony Gallo Acoustic Reference 3.1s and would like to swap them out
> > for 4 Stradas and 4 subs (with some extra money of course).  
> 
> You could save 50% by using 8 speakers at 1/4 the price
> of those, and get much better results.
> 
> > If i do that and play back a 5.1 or 7.1 movie soundtrack or music disc
> > what am i going to not have vs a full 5 or 7 channel set up?
> 
> Without some quite specialised processing you'll have a
> crippled result. Don't expect Pulseaudio to do the right
> thing, how could it ? It doesn't even know where your
> speakers are.
> 

Way off-topic, but in 1992 Frank Zappa with Ensemble Moderne delivered a series of concerts in some of the finest concert halls in Europe, mixed live in 6-channel surround. I cannot imagine what that would have sounded like, other than incredible.

Did anyone here get to attend any of those Yellow Shark concerts?

Zappa was a huge audio engineering nerd.

-ken